This and similar revelations over the past few weeks may stimulate
greater interest in genuine internet privacy tools and technologies. That
means organisations not just being careful about where their data is
stored, but also deploying tools to enhance and maximise privacy.

GCHQ employs some 300 analysts directly to examine and conduct queries
on the data, while the US National Security Agency has some 250 analysts
assigned to the same purpose. About 850,000 people in total have security
clearance to access the data.

Reporting about GCHQ's internet spying activities - which are even more
far-reaching than the NSA's - has been muted by "D-Notices" that the
government rushed out to the national press to gag them from reporting any
further details.

However, on the continent the news was met with scorn. Germany's
Justice Minster, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, described the Tempora
programme as a "Hollywood-style nightmare".